As big-time book lovers here, we've learned that a love of reading is acquired and not something kids are necessarily born with, like the color of their eyes or their uncanny inability to sleep past 6 AM on a Saturday. So we love putting…
It's not often I discover a new Etsy shop and automatically think okay, every single thing in there is adorable. But that's the case with Babee and Me , which I can forgive for being based in Byron Bay, Australia, considering what beauti…
Just when I think it's time to put the baby blocks away, my kids will surprise me by building some huge creative structure on the living room floor, enhanced by LEGO men and dollhouse furniture. Still, I can tell the basic square blocks …
If your kids like building blocks as much as mine, you'll want to check out Paper Punk's new Urban Fold paper blocks which allow kids 6 and up to build a sprawling metropolis without the bulk and weight of traditional blocks. This is suc…
With three vehicle-loving children, there was a time when I feared my living room would be overrun with sections of train tracks and makeshift "roads" built out of blocks. I wish I had known about InRoad Toys; clever play tape road rolls…
Since most of the mail I get in my own mailbox is junk or bills, I'd love to see my kids playing mail carrier and delivering me something really special using Miss Pretty Pretty's colorful felt mail bag . Perhaps delivered to this cute p…
So, a couple years ago I predicted that my kids would still be flipping through the book Maps by Aleksandra Mizielińska and Daniel Mizieliński—and I was right. The pages are well-loved, and it's still displayed prominently on our coffee …
If Spring Break or Easter has you heading out by plane, train, or automobile, you may be wondering how to keep your kids happily occupied beyond the iPad, as you travel from Point A to Point B. And since we all know how hard it is to hea…
I've been cleaning up and paring down lately, and that includes some of the wooden blocks my kids got as gifts when they were young. So I started thinking about upcycled wooden blocks craft ideas that might breathe some new life into the…
Tis the season for playing in the sand (yay for summer!) so we've rounded up some of the most fun and coolest-looking new beach toys for kids. If you've got a seaside trip planned,we hope these help you amp up the standard buckets and sh…
Travel journals for kids are such a brilliant idea. I mean, what kid doesn't want to remember every detail of a family vacation in his or her own way? A little drawing of the world's largest yoyo you saw in California, a ticket from the …
Whether you need to organize LEGOs, corral Polly Pockets, or secure squirrely Squinkies, the Swoop bag has been our go-to recommendation for smart, easy toy orgnization. And now they've got a new to-go version made just for travel ,that'…
Growing up, I was fortunate enough to have a father who traveled for work and could take us with him on many of his trips. The sad part: I don't have much of a written record of all our flying adventures. Now that I'm married to a pilot,…
We're about to head on one of our annual summer road trips , which means packing plenty of toys for the car. We try to avoid the DVD--and generally succeed if we've planned ahead. Here, some of my favorite toys for the car for toddlers a…
From the moment they could successfully maneuver a crayon, my kids have loved open-ended coloring books like Taro Gomi's finish-the-picture Scribbles book. So, it's no surprise that they adore a new rules-free coloring book with an inter…
My kids are what you might call serious artists. No they aren't selling their paintings for thousands, they just can't leave the house without a bunch of arts and crafts stuff --just in case inspiration hits in the minivan, I suppose. Fo…
When we're running out the door on one of our million weekly errands, it's way too easy to just grab the iPad or a handheld electronic game to occupy the kids. But in my ongoing quest to "unplug" a little more often, I've discovered a ne…
My handbag is sort of a Mom's Swiss Army Knife. Need a Band-Aid? Got it. Hungry? I've got some mints in here somewhere. But when we get stuck waiting somewhere and the kids are threatening to mutiny out of sheer boredom, it turns out tha…
Imagine a knight in his breeches. It's up to you to put the correct clothing and armor on him. Without the proper threads, he's absolutely lost. What's a lad to do? We've seen paper dolls before, which almost always cater to girls and of…
Do you have any suggestions for fun, quiet and small toys for a looooong flight/travel day for a 2yo and a 4yo, both boys? Would love to hear your suggestions! Thanks! -Brave mama, Melissa. Crayons and blank paper, activity books, and co…
My 4-year-old-any-second-now daughter is at the age where she's learned there's more to the world than just home, store, and school. She's asking about the places she can visit after a plane ride or two, and while most of them involve th…
If you could see the ground-in crayon and magic marker stains all over the back seats of our minivan, you'd understand why I'm so fond of a cool portable drawing tablet that uses nothing more than water, and generates no mess at all. As …
Now that my nineteen month old has officially reached the dreaded "dropsy stage," I try to attach everything I can to her stroller and high chair, from her sippy cup to her toys. So, when I found the MoMA Shapes and Colors Stroller Cards…
The first time I took my daughter New York City, she spent so much time swiveling her head in every direction, I was afraid she'd tip over. I could have done a better job planning New York City for kids, and prepping my little suburban d…